Innovation has an almost mythical ring to it these days. We love to talk about innovations, analyze them, and celebrate those who come up with brilliant solutions. But there’s a paradox here, innovation is fundamentally not thinking – it’s doing.
Think about it for a moment. If someone talks about a great idea but never tests it, is it really innovation? If a group sits in a conference room discussing new business models for months without taking anything further – have they created innovation? No.
Innovation happens in doing, in testing, in feedback, and in iterations.
Innovation is a movement forward – not a static thought
People usually don’t reflect on this enough. Sometimes not even once.
It feels intuitive that we should analyze and think of a solution before we start acting. But what do we do if the solution doesn’t work? Do we think harder? And if it still doesn’t work? Think even harder?
Another strategy might be to stop thinking more often and start doing instead – and learn along the way. Sometimes the fastest way forward is to learn what doesn’t work and do something else!
Three steps forward can give a completely new perspective
Doing things, testing in reality, also means that we see the world differently than those who just stand still and think.
Imagine that you are standing on a path in the forest. If you take three steps forward, you will see new details – perhaps a crossroads, a cliff or a clearer path. But if you stay in the same place and try to imagine what lies ahead, you will never know exactly what it looks like, no matter how much you think about it.
Innovation works the same way. You have to move forward – do, test, fail and adjust. Only then will you see the next step clearly.
Innovation is about moving up and down in the level of abstraction
Another crucial factor in innovation is being able to move smoothly between the abstract and the concrete.
- Sometimes we need to zoom out, understand systems, question assumptions, and analyze complex relationships.
- Sometimes we need to zoom in, get down to the micro level, and actually test something concrete.
- It is in the transition between these levels that innovation becomes reality.
If we only think about the big ideas and never test anything small, we miss the insights that allow us to improve and adapt our innovation.
An example: How do you find a treasure in a house?
Let’s say I hid a treasure somewhere in a house you’ve never been to. I won’t tell you where it is.
What’s the fastest way to find it?
- Start searching methodically, room by room?
- Go and ask someone who built or lived in the house where the most likely hiding place is?
- Get some kids to help and give them treats if they find the treasure?
- Crawl on the floor with a magnifying glass to see where people have moved before?
- Start a robot vacuum cleaner in the house and analyze the map it creates to figure out where the treasure is most likely to be?
- Set the house on fire and see if someone runs in and saves the treasure?
Which of these is fastest? Anything is probably faster than just sitting still and thinking about where it should be.
Innovation works in exactly the same way. Those who test many things quickly gain faster insights and can adapt their strategy in an iterative process.
Doing is always the basis for success
Many people believe that good ideas automatically lead to innovation. That’s an illusion. An idea without action is just a thought.
True innovation requires:
- Doing – not just thinking
- Testing, failing and daring to experiment – not just analyzing
- Moving forward – every step forward brings new insights
So the next time you get stuck in thinking – try doing something instead. Because real innovation happens more often in doing than you think. Start now!
